2023 presidency: Southwest should get APC ticket – Buhari’s ally, Din

Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC) Elders Advisory Council in Plateau, Captain Joseph Din (rtd), has urged the party to zone the 2023 presidency to the Southwest geopolitical zone rather than the Southeast.

According to him, the Southeast is not ready to produce the president of Nigeria.

Din, a close friend of President Muhammadu Buhari, said this in an interview with Sunday Sun.

He added that the Igbos were overwhelmingly identified as sympathisers of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in recent memory and so should not be given APC’s ticket for the presidency.

Asked if the presidency should go to the Southeast as clamoured for in various quarters, the retired military officer said:

“Let it go to the Southwest, let them produce the president in 2023, there is no doubt about it. You see our brothers in the Southeast, I am sorry for them because they have not put their heads together.

“Look at what Mr President has done for them, look at Onitsha Second Bridge; billions of naira has been budgeted for it.

“For about 15 years of PDP nothing was done, but when Mr President came he commenced the work and it is in progress, and our Igbo brothers instead for them to put their heads together and give votes to the ruling party so that people will make case for them in the party, they refused.

“In Anambra, they gave the President five per cent, how will they take the presidency, if given to them, how? As far as I am concerned, they shouldn’t think about presidency for now.

“The Southwest will take it on the platter of gold because they gave us a lot of votes, you can’t take the presidency to a territory that is not with you, it is impossible.”